brolin



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I P. BROLIN.

DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 333,441. I Patented-,ec. 29, 1885.

I] WW WITNESSES 6' W UNITE STATES PATENT Or -Free.

PETER BROLIN, OF WEST UN ITY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TO MILTON O.SHELTER, OF SAME PLACE.

DITCHINGI- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,441.dated December 29, 1885.

Application filed April 17, 1884. Serial No. 128,262. (No model.)

of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to ditching-machines; and it consists in theimprovements and combination of parts hereinafter fully described andset forth.

In the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a side elevation of a ditching-machine, with one wheel removed,embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is acentral longitudinal section of Fig. 1, the position of the machinebeing reversed, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

The supporting carriage or frame consists of a platform, A, providedcentrally on its under side with a series of pending hangers, a, toreceive the axle B, which turnstherein and has keyed on its ends thesupporting-wheels O G. A bracket, A, secured centrally at the front ofthe platform, has pivotally connected thereto by a pivotal bolt, a, therear end of the draft-tongue B. An inclined arm,B ,is secured to theupper side of the said draft-tongue B, and extending rearwardly isadapted to engage a vertical curved rack, I), mounted on the platform.The platform A is provided with an elongated slot, 0, through whichprojects above the upper side of the platform a sprocket-wheel, D,turning on the axle B. The said sprocket-wheel D is provided withcam-shoulders d, adapted to engage corresponding cam-faces, d, on asleeve, D, rigidly secured to the axle B. (See Fig. 4.) A post,

D is secured centrally in the platform A and projects both from theupper and under side thereof, and to its lower projecting portion issecured one end of a spring, d the'other end of which spring embracesand is secured to the cam-shoulders d of the sprocket-wheel D, thisarrangement'acting to normally maintain the said cam shoulders in anengagement with the corresponding cam-faces of the sleeves D. The wheel0 is rigidly keyed on the end of the shaft B, while the wheel 0 turnsloosely onthe other end of said shaft, and is provided withcam-shoulders c. A sleeve,O ,is mounted on the shaft B adjacent to thecam-shoulders 6 c, and is provided with cam edges 0 adapted to engagesaid camshoulders 0. One end of a spring, 0 is secured to the lowerprojecting portion of the post D while its other end is looped toembrace the inner end of the 6 sleeve 0 so as to maintain the camfaces cof the same normally in intimate contact with the cam-shoulder c of thesupportingwheel O.

A slot, 0", is formed in the sleeve 0 to receive a pin, 0 projectingfrom the axle B, this arrangement permitting a limited longitudinalmovement of the sleeve 0 upon the axle B, but insuring the rotation ofsaid axle therewith.

A central longitudinal beam, E, is pivotally secured at its front end toan arm, E, depending from the under front side of the platform A, therear portion, E of said beam being bifurcated to receive the lower endofa vertical bar, E, which is pivotally secured at its lower end in thebifurcated portion E of the beam E by a bolt, 6, the upper end of saidarm being formed to present a tongue, e, which is pivotally secured by abolt, e between bifurcations of a yoke-arm, f, rigidly secured to andprojecting from the rear side of a rock-shaft, F, jonrnaled in bearing ftherefor, located at one side of the platform A, at the rear endthereof. An operating-lever, G, is secured to one end of the shaft F, soas to lock the same in its bearings, and is provided with a spring- 0pawl, 9, adapted to engage recesses formed by teeth 9 on a segmentalplate, G, secured on the platform. The said spring-pawl g is connectedby a rod, with one end of a plate,

pivoted at the upper end, so asto permit 5 said lever G and plate 9 tobe manipulated with one hand. A standard, H, composing the front sectionof the excavator, is pivotally secured at its lower end in thebifurcated portion E of the beam E at the rear end thereof. I00

nected together by means of a curved shoe, J,

extending at its frontportion to form a blade, j, and by transverseshafts J J, turning 1n hearings in said side sections, I I,respectively, at the upper and lower portions of said sections.Horizontal arms K K extend forwardly from each section I I, and arepivotally connected at their front ends to the sides of the standard H.A conveyer, belt, or carrier, L, passes around the shafts J J betweenthe sections I I, and is formed so as to present a series of buckets, Z.A horizontal bar, M, transverse to the length of the machine, is securedat one end to the upper end of the standard H, and has connected to itby a central bar (not shown) a second parallel bar, M, the two bars M M,having journaled near each end suitable shafts, 1n, around which passesa short endless carrier or conveyer, N, composed of a series of buckets,n. One of said shafts 1n projects rearwardly, and has keyed on itsext'reniity a bevel gear-wheel, m, meshing with a second beveledgear-wheel, m keyed on the end of a shaft parallel with the bar M, andturning in bearings in the rear face of said bar. One end of the'shaft Jprojects sufficiently from the side of the section I to permil; asprocket-wheel, m, to be keyed thereon, which sprocket-wh eel drives theshaft j ournaled on the rear face of the bar M by means ofadrive'-chain,1n A curved fender,0, is secured at its lower end to thefront side of the bar M, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Rolling cutters l?are journaled at the lower end of the standard H and on each side of thesame, and serve to cut the ground in advance of the shoe J. Theuppershaft, J projects from the side of the section I to rigidly receivea sprocketwheel, q, around which passes an endless chain, Q, alsopassing around the sprocket-wheel, D, and around smallersprocket-wheels, 1'1", journaled in angular extensions 1" of a pivotedlever, R, having an extension, 1 by which it is pivotally secured tostandards 1*, located on the upper side of the platform. A curvedrack-arm, S, is adapted to engage a springpawl, 8, located on the leverB, and designed to lock said lever in any of the several positions towhich it may be moved. Devices similar to those located on the lever Gmay be provided for the lever B to operate the springpawl s of the same.A spring-plate, T, of any preferred construction is secured at its upperend to the plate M, and depends so as to cover the slot h of thestandard H, and to afford a yielding contact for the buckets L shouldthey strike the .same. An inclined beam, U, issecured on the upper sideof the platform A, and carries on its upper end a suitable seat, U.

The operation of the device is as follows: By moving the lever Gforward,so as to effect a partial rotation of the shaft F,the arm f willlift the connecting-bar E thus elevating the beam E, and also theexcavator, the connecting-bars 11 moving the upper portions of theexcavating devices forward. By a reverse movement of the said lever Gthe lower portions of the excavating devices are thrown in contact withthe ground, so that the bladed portion 9' of the shoe J will scoop upearth or sod. The sprocket-wheel D, which is rotated from the shaft B,drives the various other sprocketwheels by means of the drive-chain Qwhen the lever R is thrown upward and backward.

' When said lever is thrown downward and forward, the tension of thedrive-chain is so slackened as'to cause said chain to be thrown off ofwheel D, and thus place the chain in inoperative condition. As the earthor sod is scooped up by the bladed portion j of the shoe J ,it passes uprearward to the curved portion ofsaid shoe J, from whence it is conveyedby the endless carrier Lup over the shaft J, and dumped onto thetransverse carrier N, which discharges it from one side of the machine.The fender O prevents the dirt from being scattered and inconveniencingthe operator. By means of the cam-shoulder and sleeve ar rangementsofthe axle B and sprocket-wheel l) a rearward rotation of the said axle B,as in the case of backing or turning, will cause the sleeve D to forcethe said sprocket-wheel D to one side of the slot 0 in the platform Awithout rotating the same, the ca m-shoulders c on the wheel 0 likewiselongitudinally shifting the sleeve 0 on the axle B without causing it torotate said axle. The springs J 0 effect the restoration of the parts totheir normal position to effect a proper relative actuation of the sameupon the forward movement of the carriage and consequent operation ofthe endless carrier. The height of the drafttongue B with respect to theplatform A may be easily regulated by causing the extension of saiddraft-tongue to engage any of the teeth of the curved rack b.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a device designed to be substituted for thebeam E and the excavating devices. The said device consists of a beam,W, provided with plates w at its front end, perforated for attachment tothe depending arm E. The central portion, w, of the beam is enlarged toprovide for the pivotal attachment of two side sections, W W the freeends of which and the rear end of the beam W being perforated for thepassage of a transverse bar, W. The said sections W W may be adjustedwith respect to the central beam, W, by moving them upon the transversebar W and locking them in any desired position by means of clamp-boltsw. Curved standards X depend from the under side of the rear portion ofthe side sec-' ti'on's, W W, and have secured thereto the front portionsof curved guards or wings w w,

. pivotally secured together at their rear ends by pivot-bolts An arm,Y, is connected to the rear portion of the beam WV and to the arm f, soas to permit the device to be elevated by means of the rack-shaft F andlever G.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the guards orshields w 00 may be adjusted to or from each other, so as to adjust thearea in which they travel and from which they move the loose earth intothe II) ditch.

I claim- 1. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of asupportingcarriage mounted on a main axle, excavating devices drivenfrom said main 1 5 axle by means of a drivechain, sprocket- Wheels r r,journaled as described, and means for moving said sprocket-wheelsrelative to the drive-chain, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a ditching-machine, ofa supportingcarriagemounted on a main axle, excavating devices driven from said main axle bymeans of a drive-chain, sprocketwheels 0" r, journaled as described,hand ap- 2 5 pliances for moving said sprocket-wheels relative to thedrive-chain, and means for vertically moving the excavating devices,substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a ditching-machine,

ofa supporting-carriage mounted on a main axle, a pivoted beamsupporting a vertical endless conveyer, and a horizontal conveyerprovided with an endless belt, both of said conveyors being driven fromsaid main axle by means of a drive-chain, sprocket-wheels r r, journaledas described, hand appliances for moving said sprocket-wheels relativeto said drive-chain, and means for vertically moving said conveyers,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supporting-carriagemounted upon a supporting axle or shaft, a beam pivoted to said carriageand supporting a vertical conveyer, and a horizontal conveyer arrangedtransversely to said vertical conveyer, a drivechain for operating saidconveyers from the main axle or shaft, and a pivoted lever provided withsprocketwheels engaging with said drive-chain to take up the slacktherein, substantially as 'and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, in a ditching-machine, arranged and operatingsubstantially as described, of a vertical conveyer and a horizontalconveyer pivotally supported, the operator s seat located approximatelyin aline with the plane of the horizontal conveyer, and a curved fender,O, interposed between the horizontal conveyer and the operators seat, asspecified.

6. The combination, in a ditching-machine arranged and operatingsubstantially as set forth, of a carrying-wheel turning loosely on theend of a main axle or shaft and provided with cam-shoulders 0, adaptedto engage corresponding faces on the sleeve 0 rotatingwith said mainaxle or shaft and slidinglongitudlnally thereon, a spring, 0 formed andsecured, as described, for maintaining said cam-shoulders and faces inengagement with each other, actuating devices, a chain driven therefromto operate the excavating mechanism, sprocketwheels 1" 1", and handappliances for moving said wheels relative to the chain, as specified.

7. The combination, ina ditching-machine, of a supportingcarriagemounted on a ma n axle, excavating devices driven from sald main axle bymeans of a drive-chain, Q, and pro- 'vided at their lower portion with ashoe, J,

terminating at its front in a bladed portion, j, 8 means forautomatically effecting a cessation of the operation of the saidexcavating devices upon a rearward rotation of said axle,sprocket-wheels r r, journaled as described, and hand appliances formoving saidsprocketwheels relative to said chain, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination, in a ditching-machine arranged and operatingsubstantially as described, of an endless conveyer, L, supported onshafts J J journaled in side sections, I I, having the horizontalextensions K K, connected with the vertical standard H, and means forvertically adjusting said conveyer, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

9. The combination, in a ditching-machine arranged and operatingsubstantially as described, of the vertical conveyer L, supported andactuated as herein set forth, vertical standard H, and spring-plate T,arranged in proximity thereto, for the purpose specified.

10. The combination, in a ditching-machine arranged and operatingsubstantially as described, of a beam, W, enlarged at its center for thepivotal attachment of the sections W WV the beam WV and sections W beingslotted for the passage of atransversebar, W, clamp bolts w, forsecuring said beam and sections upon said bar, and standards dependingfrom the rear ends of said sections and having attached thereto curvedside wings or guards, av 00, pivotally connected together at their rearends, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER BROLIN.

IIO

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. WILBER, MARION BEATY.

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